Settling In

First off let me just wish a big {belated} HAPPY FATHER’S DAY to the most wonderful man I know. Sending you lots of love and hugs from Australia Dad! <3

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It’s been exactly a fortnight since I arrived here in Sydney, and I’m starting to adjust and become accustomed to my new temporary home. I now know that when someone refers to “thongs”, they mean flip-flops and not underwear. I now know that what I thought was a giant mutant squirrel that crossed my path yesterday was in fact, a possum. Slightly anticlimactic. I also now know that tipping is not expected in Australia-something I wish someone had told me two weeks earlier!!

My friends here in Aus have been great, correcting my Britishisms (apparently I need to stop saying “fab” all the time), taking me to see the sights, and showing me all the best eating places. We’ve had breakfast/brunch out most days in different places, and every place I declare to be my new favourite!

Brunch at Bourke Street Bakery! Muesli with coconut yoghurt, fresh pear slices, and almond milk + soy cappuccino. Not only was the food delicious, but it was the best coffee ever!

I settled into the apartment super quickly, not least thanks to the fact that the owners themselves are runners! The owners are part of the running team I joined here but they’re currently travelling in Europe, so I’m letting their apartment while they’re gone. They kindly left the kitchen well stocked with essentials like oats, coconut oil and Lindt chocolate (<— gone already, obviously) and left a map with all the best running routes marked out on it, which was beyond thoughtful of them! Plus you know you’re gonna fit right into a place when there’s a giant foam roller in the living room

Thanks to the map of running routes the owner left, I’ve discovered some beautiful runs in the area! I’m still a short run away from Centennial Park where my team workouts are based, but also just a couple of miles to this beautiful coastal path where I usually do most of my easy runs now. My first run here I kept stopping every other minute to take photos…the views were just too incredible to resist! If you’re visiting Sydney, you absolutely have to walk or run this coastal path!

I’m also literally a twenty second run away from a quiet trail which runs along a creek. The only downside to this trail is that there’s a steep never-ending staircase that leads down to it…running back up it not easy! I ran an easy 6 miles along this trail this morning in the sunshine…bliss:)

One of my absolute favourite things about running in Sydney, aside from all the sunshine of course, is the fact that there are just so many runners here. Back home, on my solo runs, most of the time I won’t see any other runners at all! But here, I am surrounded on every run by so many other runners, and I love it so much!! I then read this in the Australian Women’s Health magazine, and I wasn’t surprised one bit:

If only 80% of Brits were regular runners! A girl can dream…

I’m also waaaaay too close to Westfield (the giant shopping mall) and I’ve developed a bad and ridiculously bank-draining habit of picking up a Boost juice there every morning after my run. In my defence, their “Caribbean Green” smoothie is to DIE for. It makes me want to cry that this flavour isn’t yet available back in the UK. This fact alone may make me tear up my return ticket home.

After a two nights in a row of dinners out, tonight I’m having a relaxing evening in. That means feet up, compression socks on, and Lost episodes at the ready! My dinner of stir-fry literally took five minutes to make: stir fry veggies, garlic, and marinated tofu bites sautéed in coconut oil, served with organic spinach noodles and heaps of tamari sauce. Quick, easy, and tasty!

Did you do anything special on Father’s Day with your dad? Father’s Day in Australia is apparently in September, so I nearly forgot!!

Do you have a favourite run route, or do you mix it up? Whenever I’m on holiday somewhere, I always try out new routes, and end up getting lost 90% of the time haha! But when I’m at home, I usually stick to my tried-and-trusted routes so I can totally zone out and just run.

Have a great week friends! <3

7 Responses to Settling In

Sounds like you are having a great time. That is so thoughtful of the owners- the routes look lovely! That muesli and coconut yoghurt looks delicious!Lauren (@PoweredbyPB) recently posted..Berlin Marathon Training Week 1

Hi! I’m Emma, the Sweet Tooth Runner, a London-based
runner who fuels her miles with plenty of chocolate. I’m also a self-confessed
(vegan) foodie, a classical musician, a nut butter collector, a Disney lover, a spin addict, a wannabe yogi, and
someone who smiles so much that jaw-ache is a daily occurence. Welcome to my life!